perspire
pronunciation
How to pronounce perspire in British English:
UK [pəˈspaɪə(r)]
How to pronounce perspire in American English:
US [pərˈspaɪə(r)]
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- Verb:
- excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin
Word Origin
- perspire
- perspire: see spirit
- perspire (v.)
- 1640s, "to evaporate through the pores," a back-formation from perspiration and in part from Latin perspirare "to breathe, to blow constantly" (see perspiration). Meaning "to sweat" is a polite usage attested from 1725. Medical men tried to maintain a distinction between "sensible" (sweat) and "insensible" perspiration: [I]t is sufficient for common use to observe, that perspiration is that insensible discharge of vapour from the whole surface of the body and the lungs which is constantly going on in a healthy state; that it is always natural and always salutary; that sweat, on the contrary, is an evacuation, which never appears without some uncommon effort, or some disease to the system, that it weakens and relaxes, and is so far from coinciding with perspiration, that it obstructs and checks it. [Charles White, "A Treatise on the Management of Pregnant and Lying-in Women," London, 1791] Related: Perspired; perspiring.
Synonym
Example
- 1. My mom says I 'm not allowed to perspire !
- 2. The victim will perspire heavily , vomit blood , and collapse within an hour .
- 3. I hope our little game isn 't causing you to perspire .
- 4. I perspire a lot when I run 10 min on the machine .
- 5. I perspire because it is too hot .